The Programme of Study for Religious Education at Bishop Barrington aims to provide pupils with the opportunity to investigate religion and consider how religion impacts on the lives of individuals, communities and societies. There are elements of philosophy incorporated into the schemes of work to allow pupils to tackle 'big questions' in life such as the existence of God and is death the end?

The Programme of Study has been written to comply with the guidelines outlined in the “Durham County Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education” and to give all pupils a chance to gain accreditation in RE through either following GCSE RE full or short courses or a unit accreditation course for Vocational pupils. All but Vocational groups follow the KS4 core RE short course Edexcel Specification Unit 8 Religion and society, based on a study of Christianity and at least one other religion. To gain full course pupils can take RE as an option at KS4. This GCSE course is Edexcel Specification Unit 1 Religion and life based on a study of Christianity and at least one other religion option. Combined with the core RE short course Religion and society pupils can gain a full GCSE in RE.

Wherever possible the Programme of Study is enhanced with Out of Classroom learning e.g. a visit to the synagogue in Newcastle in Year 8 and a joint History/RE venture to Beth Shalom, the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Newark, Nottinghamshire. Members of faith groups are brought in to share their beliefs, practices and values with both KS3 and KS4 pupils including Roop Singh from the Sikh community in Leeds who talked to Year 7 about the symbols of Sikhism.

Provision complies with government guidelines in that every child within KS3 and KS4 receives at least one lesson per week of RE.

Provision is as follows:

Key stage 3

• Year 7 – 3 lessons per fortnight
• Year 8 – 3 lessons per fortnight
• Year 9 – 2 lessons per fortnight

Key stage 4

GCSE Option Full course Religion and Life and Religion and Society

• Years 10 and 11 – 6 lessons per fortnight

GCSE Short course Religion and Society

• Years 10 and 11 – 2 lessons per fortnight

• Key Stage 3
• Key Stage 4

• Year 7

  Autumn Term

  • Unit 1 - Bridging Unit ‘ How can symbols express beliefs?
  • Unit 2 – Where do we look for God?

  Spring Term

  • Unit 3 - Why is Jesus still remembered today?
  • Unit 4 - What does it mean to be a Christian?

  Summer Term

  • Unit 5 - What influences religious people?
  • Unit 6 - Why look after the environment?

  Year 8

  Autumn Term

  • Unit 1 - What does it mean to be Jewish?

  Spring Term

  • Unit 2 - Why is Jerusalem a special place?
  • Unit 3 - How are religious differences overcome?

  Summer Term

  • Unit 4 - Can we forgive and forget?
  • Unit 5 - Is death the end?

  Year 9

  Autumn Term

  • Unit 1 – Where did the universe come from?
  • Unit 2 – How do we make moral decisions?

  Spring Term

  • Unit 3 – Why is justice important to Christians?
  • Unit 4 – How do religious people respond to suffering?

  Summer Term

  • Unit 5 - What does it mean to be a Muslim?
  
  

  There is a formal assessment undertaken each term and the assessment details are used to track pupils against their silver and gold targets.

• Option RE GCSE Religion and Life

  • Believing in God
  • Matters of life and death
  • Marriage and family
  • Religion and community cohesion

  Core RE GCSE Religion and Society

  • Rights and responsibilities
  • Crime and punishment
  • Peace and conflict
  • Community cohesion